Smack in the Middle of Winter

February 19, 2017February 18, 2017 / Jodi / 34 Comments

The sunrise was beautiful
that mid-February day
when Charlie and I went
on an early morning walk.

And the sun just shone brighter,
and the sky turned bluer,
and the air grew warmer,
until it reached a sunny 68 degrees!

A record was set that caused
the robins to sing and the breeze to gently whisper.
It encouraged the daffodils to pop out of the ground,
and the earth smelled like Spring.

Charlie snoozed on the porch,
and we opened the window
while we painted and pounded
wearing light t-shirts.

It was a beautiful Spring day…
smack in the middle of winter.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

February 17, 2017February 17, 2017 / Jodi / 50 Comments

Creamy Cauliflower Soup.

Does anything warm you up more wonderfully on cold winter days than a steamy, creamy bowl of soup?

I made this yummy creamy, cheesy cauliflower soup one day this past week, and we absolutely loved it.

When hubby, who typically prefers to eat lunch out during the work week, asked for a serving to take for lunch the next day, I knew I had a real winner on hand!

It is chock full of delicious vegetables simmered in broth and then creamed by adding an easy cheesy roux and blending a bit. You could completely cream it if you like, but I like to cream about half and leave plenty of hearty chunks of the cauliflower, celery, carrots and sweet red peppers.

Fresh thyme really adds a fabulous fragrance and taste, and hot sauce is a great way to kick it up just a bit!

Imagine serving this with some crusty french or chewy ciabatta bread to dunk in it or alongside a sandwich or salad.

Hope you’ll give it a try, and hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Servings: 6
Print

Ingredients:

I head cauliflower, broken into florets (5-6 cups)
1 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1 tsp freshly chopped thyme
3 cups chicken broth (I made from water and 3 tsp. chicken base)
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
Dash of salt and pepper to taste
2 cups half and half or milk
1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese (do not use pre-grated)
2 tsp Cholula Hot Sauce (or you can use Sriracha or your favorite or none)

Directions:

Combine all vegetables, thyme, and chicken broth in a large pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter, then add flour, salt and pepper to create a roux. Whisk half and half in slowly. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook and continue whisking for 2 minutes until thickened and smooth. Turn heat off and stir in shredded cheese until melted. Add hot sauce (if desired).
Pour creamy cheese mixture into vegetables and broth. Stir until completely combined.
Puree to desired consistency using Immersion Blender leaving chunks of vegetables, but creating a creamy texture.
Ladle into bowls to serve.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Strawberry Chocolate Ganache Tart with Oreo Cookie Crust

February 16, 2017February 15, 2017 / Jodi / 51 Comments

Strawberry Chocolate Ganache Tart with Cookie Crust (No Bake).

You may recall seeing this dessert I made for our Valentine’s Couple Camp Party. I promised then that I would share the recipe.

I have to tell you… this dessert is not only beautiful and elegant looking, it is so simple, uses only five basic ingredients, and is possibly the most luscious chocolate dessert I have EVER tasted. And I’m really not exaggerating. I absolutely loved this tart!

I typically make dessert, but just taste enough to know it is okay to serve. This one, however… I not only had the evening of our party, I ate the last leftover slice!

I am certain I will make this tart again.. and again. It is a great dessert for ANY occasion, any season, anybody. I would take this to a summer picnic. I would make this for a birthday “cake.” I would make this for a Christmas dinner dessert. I would make this for ANY reason.

I originally came across this recipe posted by Mary at HomeisWheretheBoatis, and I only tweaked it slightly. Thanks for sharing Mary!

I so hope you will give this a try, and I cannot wait to hear how you like it!

Strawberry Chocolate Ganache Tart with Oreo Cookie Crust (No Bake)

Servings: 12
Print

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Oreo Cookies (approx. 32 cookies)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
12 oz. of Your Favorite Chocolate (I used Baker’s German Sweet)
1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
Strawberries

Directions:

Place Oreo cookies in a gallon size Ziploc bag. Then place entire bag in another bag to double (so you can crush them without making a mess!) Crush Oreo cookies using a heavy rolling pin, your hands, or whatever way you prefer to smash them fine enough to make a crust from. (The original recipe calls for pulsing them in a food processor, so feel free to do that if you have one.)
Pour melted butter into the bag. Zip to close again and completely incorporate the cookie crumbs and butter using your hands. Pour crumb and butter mixture into an 11″ tart pan. Pat onto bottom and up sides of tart pan. Refrigerate to firm up for one hour before preparing and adding filling.
To make filling, break up chocolate and place in a heat-proof bowl. Bring heavy cream to a boil in a small sauce pan. As soon as it boils, pour over chocolate. Let sit for a couple minutes to soften the chocolate, then slowly whisk until until smooth and fully incorporated. Pour into chilled, firm crust. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours or overnight.
Garnish with strawberries (red raspberries would amazing too if you prefer!). Drizzle melted chocolate over all if desired. I also sprinkled just a tiny bit of sea salt flakes, which gave it an amazing, but subtle taste burst. And then – any cookie crust crumbs that fall off when you remove the tart bottom from the sides of the pan can be thrown on top too.

Enjoy! I know you will!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

A Valentine Couples Camp Party

February 13, 2017February 12, 2017 / Jodi / 55 Comments

This past weekend, a gang of our bestie couple friends got together to celebrate love and friendship.

My McHendy “sister,’ Jill, and I collaborated to plan what we called “Valentine’s Couple Camp.”

Those of you that have been hanging around here at TheCreativeLifeinBetween for a while might remember our first Couple Camp Weekend Retreat that I posted about here.

Unfortunately, we missed a year… I guess weddings, babies, life… got us too involved. But when Jill called a couple weeks ago and said we should do another Couples Camp for Valentine’s Day, I was all in and offered to host at our home.

And so we did.

Bubby and Glenn were assigned appetizers, and boy did they rock the theme! Check out all the ways you can make food into hearts!

I created a special “Love Potion” cocktail to toast the beginning of our time together. I mixed 1/3 Grand Marnier Signature Collection No. 2 Raspberry Peach with 2/3 champagne and garnished with a fresh red raspberry. Yum!

Jill is our illustrious “camp” activities director. After a silly group photo,

Jill and I sent the rest of the gang to the bar, while we laid out the all the materials for everyone to create their own “Love Shack” out of chocolate graham crackers and candy (a Valentine gingerbread house of sorts). Everyone was given a flag to name their Love Shack and 20 pennies to distribute into shot glasses after everyone finished and presented their masterpieces to vote on the best.

We had some serious creativity going on. Check it out!

Hubby made his into “Camp Happy Beginning” reminiscent of the early days of love and not having much but feeling like everything is a rainbow …. or something like that… if you can imagine…

Mary made hers into “Mary’s Cozy Cottage” decorated with a comfy couch and chairs and a big colorful outdoor patio…

I was much busier laughing and taking pictures under the guise of “hosting” to focus too much on mine, but came up with this pretty lame “McKinney Love Shack.”

Bubby lovingly created the “McKinney B&B.”

and her Glenn created “Glen’s Gang Bang Getaway.” No explanation here. You can use your own imagination.

Jim cracked us up with his creation. Simple, but with a funny and politically-inspired statement. His “American” themed love shack had three characters involved… “I’m a Russian” on his way to the love shack, “Himalyan” in the love shack, and “He’s a Finnish” leaving the love shack…

Jill’s was a fabulous “Jill’s Sweet Shack” with a candy paved lane.

But Todd stole the show with his outhouse-themed love shack complete with cut out crescent moon doors.

We assigned Mary the entree knowing she would make all of our tummies happy, and she did not disappoint! In fact, we were so into her amazing stuffed shells, meatballs and spare ribs in homemade Italian sauce, I forgot to photograph it! Thankfully, she left a few for us to enjoy for dinner the next day, so I took a quick photo of our leftovers. Which, by the way, tasted just as magnificent! Thanks Mar!

I made a simple salad and sliced up some fresh bread to accompany Mary’s entree,

and we gave another toast to friendship!

I had fun preparing for our guests by tidying up the guest rooms,

including a quick convert of the nursery with an air mattress bed,

and placing heart-shaped Dove Red Velvet Chocolates on pillows.

I set the table with red plates and chocolate heart treats…

and even little heart shaped spoons!

Aren’t they adorable!

I was assigned dessert, so a chocolating I went. You already know about my chocolate-dipped wafer cookies and Ultimate Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookies which I had out, but I also made a bouquet of chocolate-dipped strawberries,

and the most amazing and simple No Bake Chocolate Ganache Cookie Crust Tart I saw on another blog.

I’ll share this recipe soon. It is seriously amazing and uses only a couple simple ingredients!

We talked the guys into playing Couples Scattegories and had fun staying up late drinking and talking until later than any of us ever stay up.

Hubby made omelets to order the next morning after we all awoke… later than we usually get up.

What a joy to have such wonderful friends to share time and our home with!

And quoting Jill from last time, I once again share:

“I recommend that all of our friends coordinate a Couple’s Camp weekend. Great fun. Lots of laughter. Many life stories shared. And the realization that life long friends and connections are priceless! So go make some memories!”

Thanks for the memories dear friends!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Predicting the Future

February 12, 2017February 12, 2017 / Jodi / 35 Comments

Predicting the future…

The best way
to predict your future
is to
Create it!

Hubby bought me this cute little signs years ago, and it now resides in Sweet Little C’s nursery in our home. I imagine us chatting in the coming years about all the things she will do and create and be!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Warmth

February 6, 2017February 5, 2017 / Jodi / 39 Comments

Warmth…

A crackling fire glowing in the fireplace,
A steaming bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup.

The eyes of your child when they know you are sad,
The hand of a friend whose always by your side.

The fur of your four-legged best friend whose always by your side,
A soft, chenille blanket from a special lady who goes by the name of Mom (II),

An unexpected text with a photo of your grandchild,
A handwritten letter in the mail from a favorite aunt.

The first sip of coffee on a cold winter morning,
A glass of red wine after a long day at work.

Favorite fuzzy slippers you accidentally wear out of the house,
A well-worn hoodie with threadbare elbows.

Memories from a special song,
A tight hug that lasts longer than a pat on the back.

The ringing of the phone at the same time every morning,
and the sound of a Dad whistling while he patiently waits.

An air kiss blown while rolling over in the middle of the night,
An “I love you” on the way out the door,

A smile that greets you when you enter the office,
The privilege of introducing your future daughter-in-law.

The distinct squeak of the door opening at the end of the day,
The comforting sound of a snore you’ve loved for 35 years.

Cheers & Warm Hugs,
Jodi

Don’t Blink

February 5, 2017February 4, 2017 / Jodi / 51 Comments

Little Miss C 020317

Don’t Blink…

Life goes faster than you think.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Black and White

February 2, 2017February 1, 2017 / Jodi / 32 Comments

snowy front yard in FULL COLOR

“The world is black, the world is white
It turns by day and then by night”*

Nature
inspiring
Nurture.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

* Three Dog Night, 1972 – first recorded by Peter Seeger, 1956

Misty Morning

January 31, 2017January 29, 2017 / Jodi / 55 Comments

Misty Morning – Mars, PA – January, 2017

Oh misty morning…
with your subtle and mellow beauty,

You are like a soft veil creating the illusion
of a world that is blemish and scar free.

You are a gentle beginning
to the realities of the day.

Oh misty morning…
will you please just stay?

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

These Little Piggies

January 24, 2017January 23, 2017 / Jodi / 51 Comments

These Little Piggies

When I kiss them
and rub them
and tuck them in
her little jammies,

I think about
the first wobbly steps they will take and then the walks that will follow holding mommy’s or daddy’s hands and later with a beloved friend or pet or me.

I think about
the times she will stand tall and proud on them for important things she believes in.

I think about
the times when she will vehemently “put her foot down” about something important to her.

I think about
her skipping on a hopscotch game chalked on the pavement or into the house with her heart fluttering from her first kiss.

I think about
her jumping rope in the playground or jumping off a diving board or from a plane.

I think about
her dipping them in and splashing at the edge of a pond or kicking them in the vast ocean.

I think about
her marching in a band like her mommy and daddy or in an important protest that could change the world.

I think about
her putting them gingerly on top of her Daddy’s trusting, sturdy feet learning to dance.

I think about her slipping them gracefully into delicate ivory wedding shoes to dance with the love of her life.

But for now,
I just kiss them
and rub them
and tuck them in her little jammies.

And I am thankful
for these little piggies.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Canon EOS Rebel T5

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the creative life in between

cherishing the moments and exploring my passion for creativity… through art, photography, food, and writing

Photography

Smack in the Middle of Winter

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

A Valentine Couples Camp Party

Predicting the Future

Warmth

Don’t Blink

Black and White

Misty Morning

These Little Piggies

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Creamy Cauliflower Soup

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Strawberry Chocolate Ganache Tart with Oreo Cookie Crust (No Bake)

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